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New inverter expands solar pump range

PHOTO: A new Renewable Solar Inverter was used in combination with a Grundfos SP pump system to reduce water consumption in the Murray Darling Basin in Victoria, Australia. The basin was previously over-pumped, with poor and costly water management, and reached critical levels of distress. Grundfos manager Lou Zarro, Australia Product Manager Scott Quane, and Andrew Black from Envirotech Water Solutions pose in front of the array frame for the new solar-powered pumping system.

The Grundfos RSI (blue box) is busy converting DC electricity from the solar panels into AC power to run the SP pumping system in the Murray Darling Basin in Australia.

In 2013, Grundfos released a power inverter that allows most submersible pumps on the market to be powered by solar energy. The Renewable Solar Inverter (RSI) expands the range for solar-powered submersible pumps from 1.4 kW to 9.2 kW.

“It used to be that we only had a smaller system with the inverter incorporated inside the motor,” says Geraldine Tsui-Yee Lin, Global Product Manager of Renewables at Grundfos. “Now we have an inverter that is more versatile to fit bigger systems.”

An inverter allows power to be switched from the DC power obtained from solar panels to the AC power needed to control the pump. With the new Renewable Solar Inverter, pumps can adapt to solar power sources rather than traditional electrical supplies or generators.

Geraldine Tsui-Yee Lin says interest in renewable energy has increased over the past few years due to solar power becoming more cost effective. Solar panels allow for a reliable and renewable energy source for areas that are off traditional electricity grids.

PHOTO: Small footprint: The pressure tanks and solar panels for the new SP pumping system in the Murray Darling Basin in Australia.

The pressure tanks and solar panels for the new SP pumping system in the Murray Darling Basin in Australia.

Reliability is an especially important factor for pumps powered by renewable energy, she says. The majority of solar-powered pumps are used for irrigation and drinking water in rural areas, where grid power is expensive and unreliable. Therefore, pumps are typically powered by generators. When the diesel runs out, access to clean water can be impossible.

Grundfos has been using solar-powered pumps for over 30 years. In 2000, the company launched SQ Flex, a small pump with an inverter installed directly into the pump’s motor. The new RSI takes Grundfos’ renewables line a step further by eventually allowing all Grundfos pumps to run on solar power. The inverter is currently available for submersible pumps, with plans to expand it to the rest of the Grundfos product line.

“One of our goals is to make all our products sustainable,” says Geraldine Tsui-Yee Lin. “This inverter is the next step for us.”

"One of our goals is to make all our products sustainable. This inverter is the next step for us."